Representatives of Fife Health and Social Care Partnership will attend a public meeting of Cupar Community Council on Tuesday this week to discuss their proposals to close the Minor Injuries Unit at the Adamson Hospital in the town.
The Partnership has also organised an online event to take place on Thursday evening.
Willie Rennie is calling on the Partnership to offer reassurances at the meetings that Adamson Hospital would remain open even without the Minor Injuries Unit, and to explain how they expect to meet the increased demand from the Cupar North development. It comes after he and North East Fife’s MP Wendy Chamberlain met with the Partnership earlier this month to ask them to think again about the closure.
A consultation on the plans is open to responses and expected to close on Sunday March 30.
Willie Rennie said: “People in Cupar and the surrounding area have been rightly concerned about the proposals to close the Minor Injuries Unit in Cupar. We have asked the Partnership to think again. It is important that the Health and Social Care Partnership take the time to listen to those concerns, as well as setting out clearly their reasons for the plans.
“At the public events organised for this week, I want the Partnership to make clear that the future of the Adamson Hospital is secure, regardless of the final decision on the Minor Injuries Unit. They need to reassure people that other services there will not be affected, and that this is not a step to further reductions.
“They also need to explain how they plan to meet any increase in demand resulting from the future Cupar North development, which could add substantially to Cupar’s population.
“I hope that the Partnership will engage constructively with people at the events this week.”
Wendy Chamberlain added: “Willie and I met with the Partnership after they announced the proposed closure. We raised the concerns which local people conveyed with us and questioned the Partnership on the reasons behind the plans.
“I encourage people who are concerned by the plans to attend one of the events this week and to take part in the online consultation which closes at the end of this week.”